A Chinese emperor was regarded as the son of heaven.  The three courts where he ruled became the heart of the Forbidden City.  Ever since its construction in the 1400s, the City has weathered numerous political ascents and downfalls. It narrowly escaped destruction during the Cultural Revolution.   A satellite image of the Forbidden City has led me on a path of rediscovery of my cultural heritage and identity. The rich historical content draws my focus on how this place was, is and perhaps will be.  

In my most recent work, I am interested in creating an unique environment where visual complexity of all elements plays off one another. Mixing source, styles, media, and perspective, I use Chinese calligraphy, brush painting, iconic Chinese architectural drawing, and people to represent different times in history. The past and present times are compressed in one space as if they are forced to confront each other. The aerial map with frontal view of buildings or events echoes the classical representation of multiple perspectives in Chinese paintings.

I look at the East from the West, where I am a bridge in between. The layered maps become visual sites for me to create dialogue between one generation and another.